KOTA KINABALU: A group of teachers in interior Nabawan district, who had to walk 18 hours to get to school because of disconnected roads, were taken on a helicopter ride to work on Sunday (May 8).
The eight teachers with SK Pangaraan were given the special treatment when Pensiangan MP Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup rented two private helicopters to send them back to school before classes resume on Monday (May 9).
Their plight was highlighted in the media recently, with calls from the public for immediate action to be taken.
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The teachers had to walk about 30km from Nabawan to work after three bridges were destroyed and the dirt road became so muddy that it was only accessible on foot.
Arthur said the helicopter service was provided so that the teachers did not have to risk their lives while going back to school.
They had returned to Keningau for the school holidays last week.
“Under normal circumstances, the journey from Keningau to Nabawan and into the deeper villages takes about three to six hours by road, depending on the weather and other factors,” he said.
“The floods a couple of months back destroyed the roads and bridges, forcing them to walk,” Arthur added.
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He said repairs to the damaged bridges leading to SK Nangkawangan and SK Layon in the district had also started.
The actions of pupils and teachers from these schools, who had to use bamboo rafts and man-made ziplines to cross the river to get to school, also made headlines recently.
“There are some delays in the construction of bridges here due to the Labour Day and Hari Raya holidays,” Arthur said.
“But we are making sure the work is carried out as quickly as possible."
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He said other related repairs would also commence with the Prime Minister announcing a special emergency fund for the purpose recently.